Future of Libraries

Libraries are in the midst of a period of rapid social and technological change. New Hanover County Public Library, by gathering experts and providing opportunities for various groups of stakeholders to share ideas, will develop a shared vision for the f

Future of Libraries

The Future of Libraries

Libraries are in the midst of a period of rapid social and technological change. New Hanover County Public Library, by gathering experts and providing opportunities for various groups of stakeholders to share ideas, will develop a shared vision for the future of libraries.

A symposium series, “People, Place, and Platform: Libraries in the 21st Century,” supported by modes of idea exchange ranging from traditional roundtable discussions to current social media platforms, will engage library staff and administration, citizens, administrators, board members, elected officials, and other stakeholders in the collaborative development of this shared vision.

Talking points derived from the shared vision, made available to libraries across North Carolina, will strengthen our ability to identify priorities for the development of future library services and to articulate and justify the continuing relevance of libraries.

Our Vision and Commitment to New Hanover County is to provide an exciting destination where people gather, ideas flourish, and the information and technology resources needed for a community to prosper are made freely available.

Our Mission and Significant Purpose is to enrich and enhance the quality of life of each individual we touch!

We are passionate about:

Creating a caring, inviting and welcoming place

Developing the technology and information resources needed for people of all ages to Learn, Grow and Prosper

Preserving and making accessible our rich history and diverse cultural heritage

The Center for the Future of Libraries works to identify trends relevant to libraries and librarianship. This collection is available to help libraries and librarians understand how trends are developing and why they matter. Each trend is updated as new reports and articles are made available. New trends will be added as they are developed.

By the DaVinci Institute: We have put together ten key trends that are affecting the development of the next generation library. Rest assured that these are not the only trends, but ones that have been selected to give clear insight into the rapidly changing technologies and equally fast changing mindset of library patrons.

Launched in 1997 as a non-profit futurist think tank by Futurist Thomas Frey, the DaVinci Institute has emerged as both a laboratory for the future and a center of visionary thought, attracting both a national and international following of inventors, innovators, idea junkies, and business leaders alike.

NYT Op Ed October 23rd, 2015. The principal danger facing libraries comes from ill-considered changes that may cause libraries to lose their defining triple role: as preservers of the memory of our society, as providers of the accounts of our experience and the tools to navigate them — and as symbols of our identity.

Buried in info? Cross-eyed over technology? From the bottom of a pile of paper and discs, books, e-books, and scattered thumb drives comes a cry of hope: Make way for the librarians! They want to help. They're not selling a thing. And librarians know best how to beat a path through the googolplex sources of information available to us, writes Marilyn Johnson, whose previous book, The Dead Beat, breathed merry life into the obituary-writing profession. This Book Is Overdue! is a romp through the ranks of information professionals and a revelation for readers burned out on the clichés and stereotyping of librarians.

Libraries today are more important than ever. More than just book repositories, libraries can become bulwarks against some of the most crucial challenges of our age: unequal access to education, jobs, and information. In BiblioTech, educator and technology expert John Palfrey argues that anyone seeking to participate in the 21st century needs to understand how to find and use the vast stores of information available online. And libraries, which play a crucial role in making these skills and information available, are at risk. In order to survive our rapidly modernizing world and dwindling government funding, libraries must make the transition to a digital future as soon as possible--by digitizing print material and ensuring that born-digital material is publicly available online. Not all of these changes will be easy for libraries to implement. But as Palfrey boldly argues, these modifications are vital if we hope to save libraries and, through them, the American democratic ideal.

In a series of award-winning cover stories for The Nation magazine, investigative reporter Scott Sherman was the first reporter to cast doubt on the New York Public Library's controversial $350 renovation plan. He found the story about a beloved library caught in the crosshairs of real estate, power and the people's interests. Here Sherman presents a new investigation, a news-breaking account of the New York Public Library's entanglements with money, power and big real estate.

Libraries today are more important than ever. More than just book repositories, libraries can become bulwarks against some of the most crucial challenges of our age: unequal access to education, jobs, and information. In BiblioTech, educator and technology expert John Palfrey argues that anyone seeking to participate in the 21st century needs to understand how to find and use the vast stores of information available online. And libraries, which play a crucial role in making these skills and information available, are at risk. In order to survive our rapidly modernizing world and dwindling government funding, libraries must make the transition to a digital future as soon as possible--by digitizing print material and ensuring that born-digital material is publicly available online. Not all of these changes will be easy for libraries to implement. But as Palfrey boldly argues, these modifications are vital if we hope to save libraries and, through them, the American democratic ideal.

Libraries today are more important than ever. More than just book repositories, libraries can become bulwarks against some of the most crucial challenges of our age: unequal access to education, jobs, and information. In BiblioTech, educator and technology expert John Palfrey argues that anyone seeking to participate in the 21st century needs to understand how to find and use the vast stores of information available online. And libraries, which play a crucial role in making these skills and information available, are at risk. In order to survive our rapidly modernizing world and dwindling government funding, libraries must make the transition to a digital future as soon as possible--by digitizing print material and ensuring that born-digital material is publicly available online. Not all of these changes will be easy for libraries to implement. But as Palfrey boldly argues, these modifications are vital if we hope to save libraries and, through them, the American democratic ideal.

The Center for the Future of Libraries works to: Identify emerging trends relevant to libraries and the communities they serve. Promote futuring and innovation techniques to help librarians and library professionals shape their future. Build connections with experts and innovative thinkers to help libraries address emerging issues

By the DaVinci Institute: We have put together ten key trends that are affecting the development of the next generation library. Rest assured that these are not the only trends, but ones that have been selected to give clear insight into the rapidly changing technologies and equally fast changing mindset of library patrons.

Launched in 1997 as a non-profit futurist think tank by Futurist Thomas Frey, the DaVinci Institute has emerged as both a laboratory for the future and a center of visionary thought, attracting both a national and international following of inventors, innovators, idea junkies, and business leaders alike.